Dubai-based developer and retail group Al-Futtaim has broken ground on the development of a 845,000 sqft site, which forms part of the Jebel Ali Development (JAD) mixed-use master planned community.

Al-Futtaim plans to expand its retail offering through the development of the new mall, located in Jebel Ali, the southern part of Dubai along the main Abu Dhabi-Dubai Highway. The project will be a mixed-use development that combines living, working and entertainment with popular retail brands.

In the first phase of its development, which also includes a strategic partnership with Wasl Properties, a subsidiary of Wasl Asset Management Group, the new retail offer includes a variety of retail concepts within around 592,000 sqft of leasable space.

The development will be home to Dubai’s second IKEA, which will be, upon opening, the brand’s newest concept store globally. There will be special focus in developing a high level sustainable store, which will also have an international training centre for the IKEA family.

The 323,000-sqft store will house additional restaurant concepts and coffee shops to serve visitors. With the popularity of IKEA’s restaurant, an in-store bakery will also be introduced. This second IKEA store will also be embracing digital integration via a mobile application that will allow customers to make purchases by scanning the products at the store and having them delivered straight to their doorstep.

Alongside IKEA, the facility will have an additional 100 retail stores, a food court and café-style dining, entertainment, a large hypermarket and Al-Futtaim ACE hardware store, projected for completion by Q1, 2019.

The new ACE concept store, first-of-its-kind in Dubai, will offer more than 33,000 products including exclusive ranges for ACE, worx power tools, Addis home products and Broil King barbeque brands. In addition, it will feature an in-store café and garden centre with plants and accessories.

With over 2,000 parking spaces, the development will also serve as a convenient community mall for the rapidly growing Jebel Ali catchment especially appealing to the residential communities in Jebel Ali, Dubai Marina and those travelling from Abu Dhabi.

The second phase will include Wasl Gate, the residential precinct developed by Wasl Properties will include 1,457 homes, accompanied by a lifestyle-oriented hospitality and entertainment offering, an international standard sports complex, K-12 schools with international curriculums, and a central park connecting the community’s commercial and residential neighbourhoods. The mall is strategically located to offer ease of access from Sheikh Zayed Road and the Energy Metro Station, which is situated only 450 metres from the site.

“As a privately-owned company guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, we always take a long-term view of the market by planning ahead, and this project firmly positions our retail footprint in a high growth potential area of Dubai slated to witness a population growth spurt during the build up to Expo 2020 and well beyond,” says Omar Al Futtaim, vice chairman, Al-Futtaim.

“Al-Futtaim is a keen contributor to the government’s development plans and will remain a committed partner in progress for Dubai and the UAE by investing in strategic projects to spread our diverse portfolio’s assets and meet consumer demand,” he adds.

“The primary focus for the first phase of Wasl Gate is modern, attractive residences designed for young professionals and families, so we are delighted to be working in partnership with Al-Futtaim. The second phase will see the expansion of the development to include more living and leisure spaces, including landscaped parks, a sports centre, showroom spaces and park-side residential offerings,” shares Marc Hewitt, chief development officer, Wasl Asset Management Group.